Direction-signal for automobiles.



E. T. I E. M. SHERMAN.

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 14, ISI'I.

BQILSI I Pateud May 14, i918.

I \55 as E. T, L E. M. SHERMAN.

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES APPLICATION msn JULY I4, 1911.

15.265,82@ Patented May 14, 1918 2 SHEEIS-SHEEI 2.

"maar s 'EDWARD 'i'. SHERMAN 'AND ELIZABETH M. SHERMAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

DIRE/CTION-VSIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

*Y To all whom it may concern:

Y"le it known that we,'EDwARD T. SHER- MAN and ELIZABETH M. SHERMAN, citizens oit' the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Direction-Signals for Automobiles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention'relates to improvements in direction signaling apparatus intended for general use, but especially adapted for use in connection with motor-driven vehicles; and, to this end, generally stated, the invention consists oft'V the novel devices and combinatins of devices hereinafter 'described and defined in the claims. y

By the use of the invention, the driver of a vehicle ni'ay give signals indicating the direction in Which he is about to turn the vehicle, or whether the vehicle will proceedy lmraight ahead, move backward, or stop.

All oi these different` signals are given, as shown, by the use of green, white and" red color plates that are movable from hidden positions to positions in which they are plainly visible, both from the front and rear of the vehicle. The green signal indicates that the machine vis about to be turned at a right angle to the right, and the white signal indicates that thevvehicle will proceed straight ahead, while the red signal indi- Cates that thevehicle is about to be turned at a right angle to the left. By combining the geen and white signals, they will indicate that the vehicle is about to be turned in a semi-circle to the right, and by combining the red and white signals, they will indi' cate that the vehicle is about to be turned in a semi-circle to the left. The combination of the 'red and green signals indicates that the vehicle is to bel moved backward,

and the combination of the`red, white and green signals indicates that the vehicle is to comete a stop.

These movable signals are preferably electrically operated and, as shown in the drawings, are in the form of color plates connected in laterally spaced pairs arranged to be moved from hidden positions in a casing in which 'they mounted to positions back of axially 4alined pairs of light openings,

formed-in the front and rear walls of said Specication of Letters latent.

Application led July 14, 1917. Serial No. 180,689.

' As these passageways are located between the light chambers and opposite pairs of light openings, the incandescent lamp will -illuminate the color plates of each pair,

when moved into said passageways.

The circuit for each pair ocolor plates and the respective incandescent lamp is normally open and may be closed, at will, by a push-button switch, thus making it possi'- ble to independently operate any one pairA of color plates or any desired .combination thereof. The push-button switches, as shown, are located on the steering post, butv maybe located in any/other suitable place within easy reach of the driver. When the push-button switches are'released to break the circuits, the color plates return to hidden positions, under the actionof gravity.

In the accompanying drawings, which p illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. f

Referring t0 the drawings,

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of an automobile having the 'invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view, principally in vertical sectionftaken longitudinally through the 95 apparatus and diagrammatically showing i the wiring therefor; y I

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the -line 3-3 of Fig. 2; f

Fig. i is a'transverse vertical section taken 'on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2; ""Fig. 5 isa detail view, principally in sec- 'tion taken on' the irregular line 5.-5 of Fig. 2; andY "-'f Fig. v6 is a rear elevation of the apparatus illustrating a slight modication thereof.v

For the purpose of showing the invention fapplied in working position, 'there illusf'trated in the drawings an automobile, indi? cated as an lerdiirety by the numeral 7 with Vthe exception of the wind shield 8,-Vdasht- 9,'v and Steerin. nnst 10.

supported on the base plate, said casing having in its sides opposite pairs of light opene inns, horizontal tubular light Chambers axiallby alined with the pairs of light openings and havin@ their open ends spaced apart from the sides of said easing, laterally spaced pairs of translucent color plates mounted for movement from hidden positions into position between the light chambers and light openings, and means for moving the color piates from their hidden positions.

2. A signalingdevice Comprising a easing having in its sides opposite pairs of light openings, a light casing between each pair of light openings7 a lamp for each light chamber, laterally spaced pairs of translucent color plates movable from hidden positions into positions between the light openings and lamps, and means for moving the color plates from their hidden positions.

ln testimony whereof we aiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses:

HELEN M. KELLY, MELLR. EDWARDS. 

